Items filtered by date: November 2007

The performance of Momix latest work, "Botanica", under the stars at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park was absolutely breathtaking, beautiful and inspiring, everything a modern dance company aspires to achieve. 

"Botanica" is a tribute to the rhythms of nature and the unfolding of the seasons. The piece is underscored by a lush and pounding soundtrack that includes modern drum/dance tracks, natural birdsong and Vivaldi and also has some of the most astounding costumes, props and puppets I've ever seen. The perfectly trained and energetic Momix dancers play and contort their bodies into the shapes and very essence of flowers, bumblebees, horses, sun and wind. 
Some people feel inspired to work out or play sports after seeing great athletes play football or basketball but having trained as a dancer in my youth, I feel that way after seeing great athletes like the Momix dancers. 

Every member of this superior troupe was not only expressive and dynamic as an ensemble; they also each managed to convey an individual sense of humor, flair and savoir-faire that mesmerized me number by number.

There is also a very distinct and uplifting spiritual message underlying the rich and complex choreography. For example, during one segment a single female dancer spins with a silvery, translucent, circular veil around her neck, 12 feet wide. As she is spinning, the veil undulates and shimmers like a living thing, like the wings of a manta ray. 

The dancer's hands barely moving, as they transition from one mudra, or "prayer position" after another. Just as you begin to think she is not "doing" anything but spinning on point, you realize that she is spinning on point not six or even ten times but hundreds of times, without stopping, without dizzying, a compassionate, angelic portrayal of moonbeams and starlight, endless, infinite in variation with a dazzling, seemingly effortless, clocklike precision, much like nature herself. 

During another piece the dancers link together to portray the mating rituals of centaur like creatures, half human half horse and each taut flip of their tail or toss of the head sends out an instantaneous and electric response in the others, creating a delicious and suspenseful sense of sexual tension and fulfillment as the centaurs find their mates and begin to dance in pairs.

Another striking number involves four female dancers dressed as full blooming orange and red carnations, upon whose seated entrance all that is visible beyond the flowers "petals" are their faces and toes. As the dance continues the dresses are pushed down a little bit at a time until the arms and legs of the dancers are revealed and standing they become human flamenco dancers and flowers in motion at the same time.

I'll leave you with one last striking and deeply moving image from "Botanica" choreographed by the immensely gifted Moses Pendleton.

As the curtain parts, a single white rose twenty feet high is cast on the screen behind the stage and all the dancers in nude body stockings stand intertwined in front of it with their beautiful muscular backs to the audience. As they gently bend and sway, the color of the projected rose changes from black and white to sepia to a full blooming red and the audience realizes that the human back and arms linked together in this way absolutely and dynamically reflect the beauty, complexity and magnificence one of God's most delightful and artful creations, the rose, in full bloom.

The curtain fell on Momix' dancers reluctantly as we audience members gave them a standing ovation and called out "Brava!" and "Encore!". Momix' "Botanica" on closing weekend of the Ravinia Park Summer Festival was a genuinely exhilarating performance we were all privileged to have witnessed.

I highly recommend seeing the enormously innovative and spiritually uplifting Momix dance troupe in performance and taking along every little dancer in your family to inspire them with the vision of what a life in dance can be.

The Milk Carton Kids, consisting of Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, may only be similar to their name because their bios are virtually impossible to come across and know. I can tell you they are from LA, though, but probably would not buy one darn earring for a whopping $75,000 like LA area born and raised, Kim Kardashian, even if they did have that much dough.

During shows at Shubbas in Chicago with some old farts, I have been accustomed to rubbing elbows, boobies, booties, as well as, the likelihood of all other imaginable body parts. But, it was not a claustrophobe's nightmare a few nights ago, the venue had chairs and tables nicely set up for an evening of laid-back performing arts.
I found The Milk Carton Kids on stage right on time, and Joey Ryan had the audience cracking up at a drop of a dime.

While they were playing, I could not detect any flaws or wrongs. It was mainly intriguing how Ryan and Pattengale's singing voices sounded so delicate and in perfect harmony, like one singer actually, in many of their songs. I swear to you I had not taken any hits off of any bongs!

The Milk Carton Kids can also sing and play very loudly and infectiously rowdy. And, Ryan and Pattengale merely use their voices and acoustic guitars, that are not electronically tampered with or made cloudy.

The two attractive young guys exhibit seductive fingering of their instruments, during their performance of Americana, back-porch, flannel-folk arrangements. The Milk Carton Kid's heavily relatable lyrics about love can, additionally, make people's entireties transcend deeply into their tunes and onstage movements.

Plus, in breaks of playing, Ryan and Pattengale's shockingly blunt, non-politically correct and dry humor delivery, with natural comedic timing, proved they could also do well at Professional Comedy. Even if they did not have at least 98 percent of the audience laughing, and from their bellies, their music alone still would have made for a positively highly entertaining evening.

After having already just seen what to me, was the art of performing at its' best, during The Milk Carton Kid's second encore, Ryan asked the the crowd "Any requests?"

Members of the audience shouted out many, and the probably exhausted from traveling Ryan and Pattengale, played every single one and still whole-heartedly.

The Milk Carton Kids are clearly people pleasers and work hardy, for they also invited the audience to speak with them after the show and to party.

I approached two girls in the crowd, and Jean said "The show was phenomenal--great chemistry and stage presence," and Suzanne conveyed "The music made my toes tap, my heart swoon, and the banter made me laugh out loud."

So, I suggest people be on the lookout for The Milk Carton Kid's whereabouts, because you do not want to miss your chance to catch them! Also, it is recommended people buy The Milk Carton Kid's live album "Prologue," which is a fusion of each Ryan and Pattengale's solo material, and it is a rare gem.

Please visit: themilkcartonkids.com for info on their tour dates and albums. Oh, and The Milk Carton Kid's have so generously made some of their songs free to download from there!

Henry McCullough is a classic rock music legend. He has the ability to handle a six string as well as any of the other guitar masters from his era. He has appeared on classic rock hits with Joe Cocker and Paul McCartney and is a very cool guy to converse with. He himself is a tough act to follow and definitely didn’t let it go to his head.

Henry recently talked with Buzz and shared some interesting stories and laughs. He had his first band at 14 years old as a three piece with an accordion player that could only play in “B”. His first guitar was a no name model that was black and had f holes. As he traded up, each one that he went to after that started to get better. He got an ES355 at one point that ended up having problems with the neck. He didn’t know about the truss rod in it which is used to adjust a neck. He traded it off to get a Fender Telecaster which later he regretted doing.

In 1999, one of his precious guitars, a cherry red Gibson ES335 went missing after a plane trip. “The guitar was never more than six feet away from me. I played it for thirty – two years. Go to pick it up. The suitcases came through, but no guitar.” He did get an insurance reimbursement check for a low-balled amount for this vintage piece.

He described his lost guitar as if he was talking about his first born. The guitar had been given some custom detailing to make it unique. There was a painting on the guitar of the inside cover of a Grease Band album, some shamrocks, and it would not be complete without a semi naked lady. “Tried to find another one. Got one and had it re-fretted, but it wasn’t quite right.” On one journey, “I busted the headstock on it. Had it fixed and then it played better than ever before.”

After over a decade, he and the guitar are soon to be reunited. They found the guitar for sale and are negotiating to buy it back. As the guitar is a vintage piece he has to buy back his own property for an inflated amount, but is happy to be able to see it again. Playing an ES335 is amazing; it’s such a sweet guitar that you can’t blame him for loving it so much. It’s not like a Les Paul which, “is like riding a bucking bronco if you don’t hold it right” explains Henry. For amps he goes back and forth between two Marshall Combos, a 40 and a 50 watt. “I don’t use any pedals,” he just plugs straight into the amps. The tones he gets are very nice.

Everyone has different influences. “I don’t have a guitar influence. I was more influenced by the sounds of rock ‘n roll. We were mostly influenced by skiffle. It was the punk of the day. It just took someone that could play in D, G, and A. Skiffle lit the fuse for rock ‘n roll.”

During the recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, the guys in Floyd had been interviewing people asking questions looking for something spontaneous. As they tried to get Paul McCartney to come and do it, he was busy at the time and looked at Henry and said, “Go see what they want.” Henry went across the hall and they started to ask the questions. Henry being a funny guy answered all the questions the same way stating, "I don't know, I was really drunk at the time!" and history was made.

Henry recalls some of his fondest moments in performing live. Obviously a very good time for him was Woodstock. “Rain started during, “With a little help from me friends.” God was our light show. It was just a gig to us at the time. It was really something else. Holiday land about twenty miles out. We were flown in an hour before your gig and then flown out. It was really a short lived thing. It was a very strong performance which activated Joe’s career internationally. I was also the only Irishman to play Woodstock.” He said he likes to tell the story now and embellish on it a bit too with a few “Irish white lies” he says jokingly. During that time “it was the youth explosion in ’67 and ’68. Then you had Altamont, things went haywire and people got edgy.” Another favorite time was, “any given moment of Wings over France. All of it was something else. Took an old bus, painted it like Peppers” and they toured like that. As far as a favorite time, just too many times to mention.

Henry was asked about his favorite recording sessions. “That’s a hard one. “My Love” session maybe.” If you look at it from an outsider’s point of view, he stunned McCartney with the solo. “I didn’t have an idea what I was going to play. He asked me and I said I don’t know. It made him nervous.” Once Henry was done McCartney was quite happy with the work.

Henry doesn’t have any plans to go into the recording studios at any time soon. “Recording costs …. I don’t have that kind of money anymore. Things aren’t as easy today.” He talks about doing session work now, “with a recession going on and houses handed back, fees have gone down. What you were getting five years ago you aren’t getting today. I work with a guy up the road now when he has work for me. It’s nice because I don’t have to go far. I live in Ireland; there isn’t a lot of work here.”

McCullough has so many great solo masterpieces to listen to. Poor Man’s Moon and Unfinished Business are both some incredible and more recent works of art that deserve a listen. He does have plans to go to France in April and is doing a New Jersey Beatles convention. “I don’t have an agent anymore” which makes it hard.

The humble man that Henry is, he still has moments of being somewhat star struck by meeting a celebrity. “I recently got to meet Mike Tyson.” He talked about meeting Tyson and that he was very nice and cordial with him. “He shook my hand and it was like meeting Elvis.”

Henry is back in the position in which he started in during 1962, playing in pubs. Nowadays he “takes things as they come and deals with them.” He does enjoy a bit of the music coming out now. “Some of the blues guitar players that are coming in are great.  I don’t listen to music anymore. Maybe something easy on the ears.” Nowadays Henry likes “to come sit and watch some T.V.” and who wouldn’t.

As it is quite obvious that Henry McCullough is an accomplished guitarist and a classic rock legend, he is also just a down to Earth man. He enjoys telling his stories, which draws you in making you concentrate on what he was saying. It gradually forces your ears to listen to every word. He enjoys making people laugh. He recently made the comment about Paul McCartney that, “He was a tough act to follow.” Mr. McCullough needs to know is he was part of the tough act to beat. Filling the role of guitar player for guys like Paul and Joe Cocker says a lot, but he isn’t just a regular guy. He is truly a class act.

“If you’re feeling good make some noise” – Carrie Underwood

It was Labor Day weekend at Ravinia in Highland Park. Everywhere through the crowd were candlelit picnics on this cool breezy Sunday evening. Daylight was just beginning to fade and the stage was set for Carrie Underwood to entertain a sold out show.

An orchestra was set up on stage with a country band intermingled amongst them. Before the concert the orchestral instruments warmed up on stage for the show. In the center of the stage were the conductor’s podium and a black full concert grand piano.

The band walked out and took their places. You hear the occasional scream from someone who can’t stand the wait any longer to see the 2005 American Idol winner. Carrie Underwood makes it out to the stage and the place just lights up with excitement. The person they came to see was finally there to sing.

Opening out the night was the hit song “Cowboy Casanova.” The upbeat pop country piece was done to perfection by the huge band that was on stage. Underwood was right on the money within the entire presentation. The violin hit the solos just like the record with smooth flowing precision.

The song “Change” was just a tremendous delight to hear it played out live. The blending of the orchestra on this song was impeccable. The strings played their parts making it feel bigger than life as the song was building.

A sweet violin melody leads into “Wasted.” The harmonies of angels were singing out during this dramatic piece. It seems their graceful voices were put here for one reason, to sing. Carrie Underwood has proven that she was more than just a flash in the pan for a moment artist. Six years later she is still going strong and won’t be going anywhere soon, but up. Her vocal abilities were polished beyond perfection as she harmonized with the background singers over the beautiful music.

Before they played “American Girl” Carrie told a story about the song. Every time they played it they would bring some young lady up from the audience to sing with. The last time she was at Ravinia, a pretty young lady came up on stage and then chickened out at the opportunity at the last second. The entire idea backfired on Underwood, but “She is here tonight” said Carrie. “I saw her earlier and I wanted to dedicate this song to her.” It would’ve been nice if the girl would’ve grown the courage to sing it on stage this time. Maybe on Carrie’s next time through Chicago.

The sweet sounds of “Temporary home” started out so mellow and it was just a beautiful piece to hear. The guitars blended with all the strings. The soft piano backing up the words “I can see Gods face” sent chills through your spine.

The country ballad “Jesus take the wheel” was absolutely the highlight of the show. When this song starts out, it comes in slow with strum of the guitar and accented with violin accompaniment. The story being told within the lines of the song is very well written. How could Underwood ever top this song? Don’t worry she will, but seeing it in the amazement of Ravinia on a cool evening couldn’t be any more like Heaven.

Underwood explained that this is her third time playing at Ravinia and that she “always enjoyed playing here. It has such a relaxed feeling. Wish we had a place like this where I’m from. Hope you know how good you got it.”

Underwood told stories about what she has been doing. Lately, playing with puppies and hanging out with her husband has been taking up a big part of her free time. Talked about the fact she did over a hundred shows last year. She continued and talked about having a journalist background to fall back on just in case music doesn’t work out for her. The only thing she needs to write is more songs. She will never need the journalist background, but might work well with composing music.

Within every note it is quite obvious that Underwood has an amazing voice in every way. She has grace and can bring it down to Earth with soul. American Idol seems like it was just so long ago.

During the performance Underwood had a very sensitive microphone. Occasionally she wouldn’t pull back far enough from the microphone causing a breath pop through the speakers. It sounded very unprofessional although most people seemed to be oblivious to it. The unwelcome sound was not overpowering enough to make the show not enjoyable, but to a trained ear it was nuisance. Adjustments must have been made by Underwood or the soundboard because it did go away after about a half dozen songs.

 For over one hundred years Ravinia has been having concerts like this during the warm summer months. As this summer is winding down, where else would you rather be than amongst these manicured gardens seeing an incredible act like Carrie Underwood? The sold out show was proof without a doubt that this young lady has touched a lot of people with her music. As this night of music ends, people are bused back to their cars parked at the Botanical Gardens and slowly the parking lot thins out. It wasn’t just another fine evening at Ravinia. It was a night with Carrie Underwood. She is an amazingly talented young lady and truly is an American worth being idolized. She was just fabulous!

It was one of this summer’s most beautiful nights – balmy, but not too humid, warm, but with a perfect light breeze and clear enough to see a host of stars overhead. Ravinia’s lawn was filled with picnickers – some which did things simple with just a blanket, maybe a chair or two, a few snacks and a bottle of wine, and some who set up grand displays with candlelit tables, dining ware, goblets and a feast large enough to feed a small army. Of course this occurs on most nights at Highland Park's Ravinia, but this was not most nights – this was Tony Bennett’s birthday - his 85th!

To get things started, Tony’s daughter, Antonia Bennett came out to do a short set. The tall redhead quickly proved that she was not riding on her father’s coattails, showing off her own dynamic voice.

The entire crowd took to their feet as Tony Bennett then took the stage in his white lounge jacket, blue tie and blue slacks. As Tony went into song, the cheers accelerated and the cries of "I love you, Tony" and "Happy Birthday, Tony" were heard. Looking robust, tanned and as healthy as an ox, Tony played a variety of favorites including "The Best is Yet to Come", "The Way You Look Tonight", "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and "Fly Me to the Moon", which he dedicated to the people on the lawn.

Tony was indeed the legend we know him as. His voice was strong and his timing was that of perfection. Smiling his way through the energized set, the crowd erupted in a handful of standing ovations to honor the great star. Antonia even joined her father for a duet in which the two exchanged a few dance moves.

As classy as Tony was, his band certainly held their own and more. Featuring greats such as Harold Jones on drums, Gary Sargent on guitar, Marshall Wood on stand up bass and Lee Musiker on piano, this was a performance to cherish – a performance, and picture-perfect setting, that made a magical evening.

Kely McClung just has to be famous one day, since he is far too talented and fascinating to end up any other way. McClung is a "Jack of all trades," but also a master of many, I can honestly say.

Mr. Kely McClung is an actor, composer, award-winning director, editor, producer, champion stick-fighter, stuntman, writer, and also has credits in television and films for doing special/visual effects and stunt choreography!

But, McClung does not go walking around with his nose in the air and a stuck out derriere.

For instance, he is not afraid to take risks, otherwise, he surely would not have been so kind to give little ol' me a role in his movie "ALTERED," in which I am a woman who "turns tricks."

Furthermore, McClung put up the following bold, Facebook posting about something that really happened to him one evening: " Two [gang-bangers] told me I had to give them my shirt. I said 'no.' Then, they said 'I had to pay them.' I said 'no.' They just looked confused and wandered off, yelling I had to respect them, or they would have to come back and stab me. I said 'ok'.. It really wasn't as dramatic as it sounds...it was me just eating a hotdog...and I LIKE this shirt."

After having read that, I thought this guy has such balls I bet his entire movie "ALTERED" is amazingly gutsy, and will spark lots of controversy!

Also, with everything that has been said, I was psyched to the extreme to be able to interview Kely McClung, and to share the thoughts in his head.

1. What is your latest movie "ALTERED" about?

The premise is "Good and Evil and the way we look at it. The tag line pretty well says it all...'Change your Perception and You Change Your World... But Good Never Fades and Evil Never Dies.'"

Also, "I would have to say the whole movie is like that: Change your perception and you could easily change the labels." ALTERED" is "A hunt for a serial killer, an action film, and a thought provoking European style horror film. Even, a poignant love story. Of course, wrapped in a lot of blood and hopefully some genuine scares!"

2. What kind of reaction(s) do you hope to get from people after they have seen "ALTERED?"

"Hopefully, the movie works on several levels: a violent, scary horror film, a thought provoking treatise on human nature, an acting showcase for everyone in it, and to push the limits of what people think of as 'no budget' filmmaking. I hope people watch it, and walk out thinking about it.

And, then try to understand, and relate it to their own lives. Maybe, it will stimulate some interesting conversations! The goal of almost any art is to capture moments and emotions in time. In this case, we hope to capture the moments, but let you see they have multiple meanings, depending on what we bring to the table, both intellectually and emotionally."

3. Many kudos to you for winning Best Screenplay for "ALTERED!" How did it feel to win another award?

"Thanks so much! It's pretty cool!"

"I've been extremely lucky to win awards at quite a few film festivals, here and overseas. It's really exciting to win for a movie that is not even done, yet! Mostly, the wins and kudos we've received act as the fuel to keep you going. Even though I have been very lucky, it's also very humbling. [When] going to these festivals, you are constantly reminded how hard other people work, and the wealth of talent out there."

4. Has anyone treated you as though you are a "Royal Whack Job" for having the ability to create such an ingenious screenplay?

"Ingenious" is not the word I've heard very often! [Laughs]. My friends, and other filmmakers I've shared it with, think I'm more than a bit disturbed. Zeke Flatten, the distributor of my first movie 'Blood Ties,' asked to read it. I think he basically said, 'Wow. You have some really serious issues.'"

5. "ALTERED" has some shockingly, realistic hardcore-drug-usage scenes. How was it possible for you to have written about the everyday life of a junkie so accurately?

"Ha ha... not from experience! I watch a lot of movies, read a lot, and talk to a lot of people. As one of my characters in the movie says, 'People are a lot worse than anything they can make up.' That seems to be a theme in a lot of my writing, but we really take it up a few notches in 'ALTERED'"

6. Assistant Director and Producer of "ALTERED," Jessica Imoto Harney, also has smack-dab-in-your-face Einstein ways. What did you like the most about working with her? Do you have any plans to collaborate with each other after "ALTERED" is complete?

"Yeah, you hate to overuse the word 'amazing.' But, Imoto is just that in SO many ways! Very talented, very creative, very accomplished and driven to excellence. Imoto inspires me: so, being around her makes me push myself even harder. I have so many stories and images I'd like to work with her on, and to explore her ideas. I'm not sure how long she can put up with me, but we're pushing for many grand adventures in the future."

7. How has it been directing the stars of "ALTERED" so far?

"Humbling. I try to write showcase scenes, and parts that push actors to their limits, sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally, and many times both. One of the great joys in making movies, is sharing and exploring all the talent from everyone on the set, cast and crew. I've worked with Rob Pralgo and Stan Harrington before, in 'Blood Ties' and 'Kerberos'. You always try to go with your strongest talent, and these guys can play anything. Our lead actress, Amanda Dreschler, stunning, funny, and talented as hell, is destined for a truly great career. Why all three are not already huge stars is almost shocking. I'm really blessed to have their trust, their skills, and talents to tell my stories."

8. Did you thoroughly enjoy shooting for "ALTERED" in Chicago and Gary Indiana? Did you experience any eery happenings, given the nature of "ALTERED," and some of the locations you shot in?

"I came to Chicago last year for the first time, and fell in love with it! One of the great thrills I've had was to see these wonderful locations on those first visits, to dream about making a movie and filming in some of them, and then to work with Imoto on making it happen. Locations are a huge part of it all, becoming characters on their own, but the people of Chicago and Gary have embraced us and made it possible. Not just the actors and stuntmen, but also the film office of both cities welcomed us, even though we obviously weren't bringing any money to the table. It took a while, and a little effort for our neighbors in Gary to accept us, but now they wave and greet us by name. Hell, even the car thieves we've had meetings with, in both cities, have been nice. Scary, but nice!"

"I think we mostly scare ourselves, and many of the locations, and the scenes we create creep us out. Imoto and I have roamed and scouted a lot of abandoned buildings: churches and schools and hotels. Even an abandoned 5 story hospital. Since many of those excursions come up as we find them, some are done with just the light of our cell phones in the middle of the night. That can be pretty unsettling."

"We're all still trying to figure out why the broken, abandoned church where we filmed some of the more disturbing shots and scenes, has a basement that even when it's in the 90's outside, you can see your breath on the wide open staircase as you go down [it!] Not all the time, but sometimes... and the basement is sometimes hot, and sometimes freezing."

"And yeah, we may be crazy! Imoto and I camped out in a tent in the middle of the same church for four nights to guard our sets, and keep people away from what we were doing."

"We make films to share and explore our thoughts and ideas, and though we can't promise anyone is going to like them, that should give you some idea of the lengths we're going to make great movies!"

9. What is the #1 question you would like to be asked during an interview that you have not been asked, yet?

"How did it feel to win "Best Picture" at this year's Oscars?"

"Talking People and Doing People - I hope to do! Reality Changes in 2012"

Kely McClung

For more information about Kely McClung, "ALTERED," the other films he has written ("Blood Ties," "Kerberos" and "Stickfighter"), release dates and so on, please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/thealteredmovie

http://www.facebook.com/kelymcclung

http://twitter.com/kelymcclung

http://www.twitter.com/thealteredmovie

Imoto Harney http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2630120/

TheAlteredMovie.com

*Photos by Imoto Harney (Top - Kely McClung, Bottom - Amanda Dreschler)

Of all things I could say about Lifehouse, "They put on an amazing concert!" is probably one of the last things I would even think to say about them. In fact, you wouldn't even hear them playing in my car sitting in 5 o'clock traffic. I would like to point out that I'm not trying to bash Lifehouse (I don't want any upset Lifehouse fans out there!), they are great musical artists, and Jason Wade is a very talented singer; they are simply not my cup of tea. But one thing certain about LIfehouse' live concert on Saturday at Ravinia - they really put on a spectacular concert.For someone who never really appreciated their music before, I have certainly found a new respect for Lifehouse. I had a great time and was blown away by their performance.　

All I could see as I looked around while Lifehouse played, was that everyone was really rockin' out to their music - and not just the teenage rockers! I saw everyone from small children to adults on their feet, singing and head bobbing along to all of Lifehouse's hits. I never realized how popular this band really was. By the end of the show, I was even getting into the music and bobbing my head too! I was even singing along to a few of the songs that I actually did recognize! This live Lifehouse show really did change my opinion on the band. They still may not be my most favorite band in the world, but I would certainly not mind seeing them live again. Just seeing how much they can work up a crowd was exciting in itself, even the security guards themselves were getting in their show. They are a great band to see live for all ages, as I'm sure that it was the first concert for a lot of children there that night. I'd like to thank Lifehouse for coming to Chicago and changing how I see their band. As good as music sounds on a CD or an Ipod, there is no comparison for how great this band sounds live. Their talent really shines on stage.

One question by the way, WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME HOW GREAT THE RAVINIA IS BEFORE?!?! Seriously. After hearing so much about all of the great concerts, shows and events that happen there, I was pleased to finally able to feed my curiosity. Ravinia even has it's own Metra station stop, so it just had to be a great venue, right? OF COURSE! My first impression of this place just walking in is how remarkably clean this place is! Hats off to the Ravinia for keeping this place near to spotless. I'm used to trash on the floor and dirty smelly bathrooms, however, Ravinia certainly takes the cake for the cleanest outdoor venue in the Chicagoland area.

Unlike most venues, Ravinia offers its goers freedom from annoying security and pesky venue employees telling you what you can and cannot bring into the park. You are free to bring blankets, picnic tables, chairs, wine, cheese and any other goodies you can manage to bring in! If you don't want the hassle of lugging around any of this stuff however, fear not! Ravinia offers all of the above there at the venue! Ravinia has a beautiful little dining area offering all kinds of foods and snacks to munch on, as well as a dainty little seating area to enjoy it all! They also offer table/chair rental for those of you who don't want to be a pack mule! Not to mention a variety of beer/wine for those of you who like to enjoy some drinks as you enjoy a great concert and a cool summer breeze. I should mention again, that Ravinia is pretty lenient with what you can bring in to the venue, so if you plan on having a few drinks, I encourage you to bring your own from home! Like most places you can expect to pay 7 dollars for a beer or some wine. So save that cash and load up on goodies for you and your date. This place is the perfect place for a nice romantic evening with that special someone - take note of this guys!

With all these great amenities, why wouldn't you want to go to this place!? At this point I should mention that all this talk of chair rentals and table rentals, etc, is for anyone who plans on purchasing lawn seating. There are seated tickets available for purchase in the Ravinia's Pavilion (the stage is in the pavilion, so if you want to be as close as possible to the action, I highly recommend purchasing tickets in the Pavilion). However, no food or alcohol is allowed in the Pavilion's seating area, barring bottled water. Concert goers can only enjoy bottled water in this area. This must explain why I saw a sea of people all over the lawn! So keep that in mind when purchasing tickets to any of the Ravinia's wonderful events.

Getting to Ravinia is also a cinch. They are easily accessible via the Metra rail system; the train actually stops right at the front gates (this is the best way to get there is the train is convenient for you). However if the train is not convenient for you, consider driving. Parking is available right at the venue, but expect a lot of traffic there. I recommend using the many "Park and Ride" lots located in the Ravinia's general vicinity. They provide free parking and a free shuttle service to the venue and back in the "Park and Ride" lots. Personally, I think this is the best way to get to the Ravinia. I found it to be quick and easy, and you can't be FREE, not at all. Please visit http://www.ravinia.org/ for more venue information on where the "Park and Ride" lots are located. Events, ticket information, parking information, etc. can also be found on the website, so check it out before it's too late for this year. Although summer is nearing it's unfortunate end, fall is right around the corner. There is still some time left to enjoy some of the great events going on at the Ravinia, so be sure to check this place out while you still can this year! I certainly am looking forward to seeing more concerts and events there in the near future!

On Saturday night a little after 7:00 P.M. ticket holders were having their tickets scanned in as they walked through the door. Even the ones who knew how great these musicians were had no idea what was about to hit them. No one had any idea how incredible this show was going to be. The super groups, Return to Forever-IV and Zappa Plays Zappa, were in Hammond, Indiana at the Horseshoe Casino and The Venue was a great setting for this musical display.

After paying the outrageous toll, climbing the mile high bridge, you come over the Ski-way to the bottom of the bridge to the first exit which takes you to where you want to be. As you walk in the doors, you are reminded by the smell of smoke that you aren’t in Illinois. You make your way across the building to The Venue. You find your seats and you are ready to start the show.

Opening out the evening was Zappa Plays Zappa. The amazing and talented band conquered old classic Frank Zappa Material with ease. The band led by Dweezil Zappa played every intricate change with precision and clarity. The comical lyrics and stories within the music made it hard to ever take this music seriously, but they were told amongst some of the toughest music written in the twentieth century.

Dweezil is a highly underrated guitarist. The most incredible guitar runs of the night came from the hands of Zappa. He ripped through the songs with complete syncopation, through very complicated pieces. He stepped up to the plate and tackled these songs for the crowd appearing very cool and laid back. He seemed lost in his own little world as he focused on the music coming through his ear monitors. There was no fancy stage show, just kick ass music. That’s all this crowd wanted to see anyway.

The band involved in backing up Dweezil on this quest was amazing to see. Including Zappa, there were eight musicians that made up this ensemble. Sheila Gonzalez played saxophone, flute, keyboards, and sang within this lineup. This one is really a Jill of all trades and was a necessary piece of the puzzle.

Pete Griffin comes in on bass guitar holding the bottom end together. He had a few real warm bass parts to provide. On all sorts of percussion instruments was Billy Hulting who hit out some rhythms that sounded almost robotic. This machine doesn’t make a mistake.

Jamie Kime chimed in on guitar helping this group pull it all together. He himself is a guitar virtuoso without a doubt. On vocals was Ben Thomas who did a number on the old stuff that won’t soon be forgotten. His vocal abilities are fitting, but the man’s way of telling a story was very charismatic. He is truly an entertainer of a highest caliber.

Joe Travers takes the roll on top of the riser hitting with dynamics and power creating wicked drum rolls. Chris Norton finalizes a great band within everything that he does. He is surrounded by keyboards, a laptop, and a few other gadgets to get the old school sounds. Every one of these musicians has a key part in this band. Together they make up Zappa Plays Zappa.

Some of the songs chosen to be performed were “Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing,” “Pojama People,” and the classic “Don’t eat the yellow snow.” “Dancing Fool” was another whimsical song that was done to perfection. During their shared stage time they had a guest violin player sporting a candied blue electric violin. Jean Luc Ponty sat in for one of the compositions and he added some magical tones to the music that was just a delightful moment.

As their show ended there was no encore for this group. Instead Dweezil Zappa did a very cool thing. He reached down at the front of the stage and started to sign autographs. The stage hands started switching the bands up and get everything ready for Return to Forever IV. Dweezil signed autographs, took pictures, and shook hands with everyone who came up to the front of the stage. Just when everyone thought he was done, he proved them wrong. It was now time for the next act and he was still signing all the way up until a few minutes before the lights dimmed. That is such a rare thing to see and very well appreciated by the fans. It was a very nice gesture from a first class act.

It was time to see the musical masters do it up. No intro music or fancy anything. They just walked out, waved hello and started playing. From the opening notes if Return to Forever IV, it was quite obvious you were about to see greatness.

Chick Corea destroyed the egos of any amateur keyboardist in the room within his falling runs. His quick finger style was beyond just being skilled. The keyboardist extraordinaire wowed the crowd within the first few minutes of playing. At one point he even pulled out his most popular piece “Romantic Warrior.” He made the comment to the audience, “If you weren’t here …..” shrugged his shoulders and smiles, “you wouldn’t be here,” then walked back to his keyboards.

Stanley Clarke, “the master of everything,” has to be the best bass player ever. The audience at The Venue Saturday night couldn’t imagine seeing a bass player that is any better than Stanley Clarke. He played bass solos on acoustic and electric basses that were slapping and thumping away. He did runs that today’s top bass players couldn’t find by accident even once.

Jean Luc Ponty is just a graceful act. This gentleman played some intricate pieces himself. The strings were touched by his bow to help create some magical moments. At other points he did stuff in a pizzicato fashion sometimes trading off with a complimentary guitar piece. He made reference to the old days of performing Zappa’s music stating that “Dweezil was only 4 years old at the time. It’s nice to see his band doing Frank’s music so well.”

Lenny White stepped up to introduce a piece. He said, “It’s really nice to play music for people who appreciate it. We’re gonna play you some manly music now, cus we’re a man band.” He went back to this drum kit and proved it. His modest sized kit was all he really needed. Honestly, this man could make pots and pans sound good. His drum solo was filled with some offbeat jazzy stuff that is really an acquired taste that not all ears can appreciate. Only handfuls of drummers are as talented as Mr. Lenny White.

Frank Gambale is amazing guitarist in all respects to share a stage with these fine musicians has to be an honor. As the night proceeded, the talents in his hands were not used much as he appeared only to be a gun for hire. During some songs he sat back on a chair and bopped his head to the music. For as much talent as this six stringer has, it seems like his talents were wasted. He looked like the first string quarterback sitting on the sidelines being punished, itching to jump in and play.  

As Return to Forever IV played, the time allotted was running out. They finished their last song and said their goodbyes. They signed a few autographs, shook some hands, and they were gone. They may never have sung a note in any songs, but they said a lot within their instruments of choice. The theater started to clear out and the stunned crowd dissipated into the casino. The ones that made it back to their vehicles right away after the show got to enjoy a traffic jam that awaited another vehicle in the parking garage.

A fantastic night of music was once again held at The Venue within Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. The super groups of Return to Forever IV and Zappa Plays Zappa were the talented entertainer’s of the evening. This was an amazingly talented show to see.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan triumphantly returned to his native state Indiana, this time taking on a full house at The Venue, located inside the Horseshoe Casino. Touching on all subjects from the urgency and awkward process of getting a drink at a crowded bar to his famous bit on Hot Pockets, Gaffigan had the crowd laughing nonstop from beginning to end.

With a healthy combination of material that included a healthy dose of King Baby as well as new stuff and old, Gaffigan was sure to incorporate his high-toned side commentary of the ignorant or offended audience member with every opportune moment. "Oh really, Jim. The baby and diarrhea joke already?" "My girlfriend is allergic to tuna, Jim. How offensive."

All subject matter was open game for Gaffigan, who even targeted Extenz (penis enlarger) spokesman Jimmy Johnson. "Do you think they called him to do the spot originally as a joke?" "Do you think they were going to try Dick Butkus, too?" Gaffigan went on taking shots at Subway’s watery tuna fish, praised his overweight self for being the "skinny guy" at McDonalds, and challenged the bar back who is unable to hand him a beer in a busy bar. "Ok, you just carried five cases of beer up a narrow staircase but you are not qualified to hand me one?"

As far as working out goes, Gaffigan told the audience he would just prefer to wear black. Still, funny as ever, for most, Jim Gaffigan’s humor was the perfect remedy to the doldrums of a monotonous workweek even if just for a couple hours. Do yourself a favor and keep a lookout for his show the next time around and mark it on your calendar as a "must see".